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Brain Injury Within Intimate Partner Violence: What Are the Cognitive Effects?
Jen Makovec Knight1,2,3, Olivia Hannon4, Gershon Spitz1
1Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Journal of Neurotrauma
|October 30, 2025
Summary
Intimate partner violence-associated brain injuries (IPV-BIs) from head impacts or strangulation significantly impair memory and learning in women. Cumulative injuries worsen outcomes, underscoring the need for screening and intervention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
- Psychology
Background:
- Intimate partner violence (IPV) poses significant global health risks, impacting physical, mental, and cognitive well-being.
- IPV-associated brain injuries (IPV-BIs), including mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and non-fatal strangulation (NFS)-induced hypoxic-ischemic injury, are often overlooked in survivors.
- Identifying IPV-BIs and their consequences is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cognitive effects of IPV-associated brain injuries (IPV-BIs) in women.
- To compare cognitive performance between women with IPV-BIs, women with IPV exposure without brain injury, and healthy controls.
- To determine the relationship between the number of IPV-BIs and cognitive outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 146 women, categorized into three groups: women with IPV-BIs (1-6 or >6), women with IPV exposure only, and healthy controls.
- Participants underwent medical history, biopsychosocial questionnaires, and cognitive assessments including tests for premorbid IQ, learning and memory (RAVLT), processing speed, and executive function (TMT-B).
- Statistical analyses examined group differences and the association between IPV-BI and cognitive performance, controlling for confounders.
Main Results:
- Women with IPV-BIs demonstrated significantly poorer performance on Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) Total Learning and Delayed Recall, and Trails Making Test B (TMT-B).
- Women with more than 6 IPV-BIs showed significantly lower scores on RAVLT Total Learning and Delayed Recall compared to other groups.
- Memory and new learning impairments persisted beyond 6 months post-injury, with cumulative mTBI and NFS exacerbating outcomes. The effect on TMT-B was influenced by anxiety levels.
Conclusions:
- IPV-associated brain injuries are linked to persistent cognitive deficits, particularly in memory and learning, in women survivors.
- The cumulative effect of mild traumatic brain injury and non-fatal strangulation worsens cognitive outcomes.
- There is a critical need for routine IPV-BI screening, comprehensive neuropsychological assessments, and tailored interventions for IPV survivors.
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